Research and Patient Safety/Quality Improvement

We believe that learning is a lifelong effort and that the learner in medicine starts by understanding the principles that drive changes in clinical care. In most cases, clinical care is rooted in evidence. As defined by D. L. Sackett in a 1992 edition of the British Medical Journal, Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) is the “conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.” While there are other considerations, such as access and availability of treatments and patient preference that one must account for when caring for patients, EBM has emerged as the foundation of excellent patient care. Throughout their clinical experience and with support from the EBM curriculum, all residents are required to participate in a research project and are required to present that project at a conference and Grand Rounds.

All residents complete a course in Human Subjects Research through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). We are also very fortunate to have several dual degree faculty members (Masters of Science or Master of Public Health) within the MSM Department of Pediatrics who can serve as mentors for resident research projects.